GOP: Please Do Call His Bluff and Man Your Battle Stations

Ordinarily, I'd have difficulty grasping the magnitude of arrogance driving President Obama in budget negotiations that could determine the survival of our nation, but after several painful years of observation, I've come to expect it from him.

Obama's personality type does not well handle opposition, so when House Majority Leader Eric Cantor refused to budge on Obama's unreasonable demand that the GOP agree to raise taxes during these economic hard times, which would not raise revenues, Obama blew up and "stormed out of the room."

Cantor suggested that the parties opt for a short-term deal to avert the debt ceiling deadline, but Obama adamantly refused. "Enough is enough," said Obama. "I've reached my limit. This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield on this."

Why is it acceptable for Obama to be overtly uncompromising but express outrage that his GOP opposition is unyielding? It's as if he's saying, "How dare you be as intransigent as I'm being."

Obama also warned Cantor, "Don't call my bluff." Notice all the I's and my's in Obama's threatening language. Did anyone ever tell this narcissistic man "no" before he became president?

He acts as though the United States is his personal chattel to do with as he pleases, and no one (including members of the coequal legislative branch) and nothing (including the Constitution) dare get in his way. He masquerades as a mere bystander in all this instead of the primary mover in accelerating this financial catastrophe and the primary obstructer of the reforms necessary to avert it.

Such petulance isn't Obama's only unbecoming conduct concerning these negotiations. He recently attempted to horrify seniors that their Social Security payments would be withheld if Republicans didn't compromise.

Obama knows better than that. Reaching the debt ceiling wouldn't prevent the government from spending money, only from spending more than it takes in, which means it could decide which payments to honor and which to forgo. There are plenty of expenditures less urgent than benefits to seniors. But Obama chooses to scare seniors anyway.

This same principle applies to Obama's refusal to exercise calming presidential leadership at Wednesday's announcement by Moody's that the government's credit rating is under review for a potential downgrade. Moody's said the ongoing debt limit stalemate increases the risk of the government's default on its debt.

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